Starting baby-led weaning is one of my favorite topics to talk about over here on Mama Knows Nutrition. If this is your first time to start solids (or even if it’s not!) and you want to get the lowdown on how to start on baby led feeding, you’ve come to the right page. You don’t only have to use jars of baby food. You actually don’t even have to use them at all!

Baby led weaning/feeding is a wonderful, exciting, nutritious, and messy adventure that can be a great way to lay the foundation for your baby’s eating habits by introducing them to whole foods (prepared safely) right off the bat.

If your baby is around 6 months old- which is the perfect time to start solid food- you’re probably looking to build your bank of safe foods and meals you can offer your baby. 

In my opinion, breakfast can be one of the trickier ones to prepare with a baby, because there are comparatively fewer foods that are “breakfast foods” versus lunch/dinner foods where the world is your oyster. Today, I’m sharing a round-up of easy to pick breakfast ideas for baby!

My 5 Top Baby-Led Weaning Breakfast Ideas 6 Months

In this post, I want to help you choose the right breakfast to start the day for your new eater AND I want to make it easy. (Check out all the baby feeding gear you might need here!)

I sincerely hope your baby is sleeping and you’re getting a full 8 hours, but since mine never were sleeping well at 6 months, it was already a drag getting up in the morning. The last thing I wanted to do was get up and get cooking. With that in mind, I’m going to try to give some easy baby led weaning breakfast ideas. I’m talking low-or-no-cook. Seriously, the most cooking involved is cooking some eggs. The rest is pretty much mixing, building, and assembly. 

Why Is Breakfast So Important For 6-Month-Old Babies

You’ve probably heard it said that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, and it really is true. (They’re all important though, okay!?)

Breakfast is a big one because it’s the meal that comes after the longest period we, as humans, go without eating- SLEEP! I find that I’m pretty hungry in the morning, and my body sort of naturally craves something satisfying and nutritionally well-rounded. Babies are no different! My kids arrived at the breakfast table (read also: the high chair in the middle of my kitchen) pretty hungry most mornings. 

It’s pretty common for babies and toddlers to have a bigger appetite earlier in the day and therefore front load their caloric intake, so we want to make sure we’re giving them the opportunity to do so with a good breakfast! 

What Nutrients Should Be In Breakfast for 6-Month-Old BLW Babies

We want to start the day by giving baby a well-rounded meal that includes:

• Carbohydrates (like bread, oatmeal, fruit)
• Protein (like eggs, dairy)
• Healthy fats (like dairy, nut butter)
• Fiber (like bread, fruit)
• A range of vitamins and minerals (many foods, but especially fruits and veg)

You won’t cover every nutritional base at every meal, and that’s okay! We will aim to include something from each macronutrient group at each meal (that’s carbohydrates, protein, and fat), serve a variety of food across the meals, and be mindful of including iron-rich foods where possible.

What Can A 6 Month Old Eat For Breakfast

While I don’t recommend a full waffle bar with whipped cream and maple syrup for babies, they can largely eat a lot of the same things that you and I eat (or aspire to eat) for breakfast. Things like toast, oatmeal, egg dishes, and yogurt are great options for babies. 

There are just a few considerations to keep in mind:

Keep an eye on the sodium. 

While you and I might salt our eggs, the recommendation is to limit sodium in the diet for babies. You can season with spices, but hold the salt until after their first birthday! 

Pass on sugar for now.

Maple syrup, flavored yogurts with added sugar, sugary baked breakfast goods, or other sugary kids breakfast products are a no-no for this age. 

Pay attention to choking hazards. 

For baby led weaning, we want to offer foods that are safely prepared and mashable between two fingers. Nothing hard or crunchy like nuts or granola at this age. 

Eggs: Scrambled Eggs and Baby Omelettes

I had to put scrambled eggs first because they really are a no-brainer breakfast food. I like to whisk mine with a splash of whole milk, then cook over medium low heat until they’re fully scrambled. Add in a dollop of whole milk ricotta for a little fat and protein boost, and baby can self-feed with something that is soft, safe, and extremely nutrient-dense. Eggs are a great source of protein, healthy fat, and tons of vitamins and minerals like brain-boosting choline, iron, and a whole array of B vitamins.  

While scrambled eggs can easily be fortified with some ricotta, cottage cheese, or other dairy add-in, I like to use the baby omelette as a way to feature some vegetables. You can chop up a few spinach leaves or throw in some crumbles of steamed broccoli to your omelette while it’s cooking, cut in strips, and serve as finger food.

Yogurt Parfait

Okay, okay, parfait is a little misleading here since we’re skipping the granola, whipped cream, etc, but this really is a choose-your-own-adventure bowl! I like to start with a full-fat, plain Greek yogurt. Make sure there’s no added sugar; yogurt can be a sneaky source of sugar.

From there, I like to add a bunch of nutritious mix-ins: a teaspoon of nut butter mixed in, some mashed raspberries (or any berry), a sprinkle of chia seed, hemp seed, or ground flaxseed. (These are all okay for baby without worrying about choking.)

I actually love this breakfast myself! It’s a great way to get fat and protein from the yogurt (and nut butter), and some fiber and fat from the berries and seeds.  

Some yogurt bowl mix-in ideas:

1. Mashed mango and hemp seeds
2. Mashed blackberry and almond butter
3. Unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon and ground flax
4. Mashed strawberries, peanut butter and chia seeds
5. A Once Upon a Farm pouch and almond butter

French Toast Sticks

This is another take on an egg recipe. Eggs are a superfood, so I love to include them at breakfast where possible. What I love about this one is it’s an easy way to get the benefits of eggs even if your baby doesn’t love eating scrambled eggs or omelettes. My healthy baked french toast sticks can be made with a whole grain bread for a fiber-full, baby-friendly breakfast.

Just skip the sugar/maple syrup! You can also opt to make these one by one on the stovetop instead of baking them. Just dip your bread in your egg mixture and cook on both sides until the egg coating is no longer runny. Cut into strips and serve with some mashed berries and a dollop of plain yogurt and you’ve got an amazing, nutritious BLW breakfast. 

Oatmeal Bowl

Next, the trusty oatmeal bowl. This one is similar to the yogurt parfait, because you can kind of choose your own toppings/preparation. For babies, I like to cook the oatmeal in a little bit of milk instead of water, and I often added in a splash of milk/breast milk to thin it out after it was cooked. Once it’s a runnier, but still scoopable texture, I like to add in some of the same things I use for yogurt bowls: mashed fruit, a teaspoon or so of nut butter, hemp/chia/flax seed, or even a dollop of full-fat yogurt or pumpkin/sweet potato puree. The possibilities are endless here! Oats are a great baby breakfast, full of energizing carbohydrates and a surprising amount of protein, too- especially if you make them with milk!

If you need some nut-free ideas, here are 3!

1. Mix in a teaspoon of ground flax, 1/4 of a mashed banana, and a shake of cinnamon

2. Top with a drizzle of coconut butter

3. Mix in a tablespoon of pumpkin puree, a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, and a little butter

Baby-Led Weaning Muffins

My berry banana baby led weaning muffins are a perfect breakfast for brand new eaters. Not only do they have no added sugar, they also bake to a really great, soft texture that’s perfect for babies. They’re also full of fiber, fat, and protein to make every bite pack a nutritional punch. Make sure you cool them to room temperature before serving! I also like to cut them in half (or split them into bite size chunks) and add a very thin layer of nut butter on top for even more of a nutrition boost. My kids- who are no longer babies- devoured these muffins, so hopefully they can be a staple in your family for many years of breakfasts!

More Baby-Led Weaning Breakfast Ideas 6 Months and Beyond

Try my other nutrient-packed healthy recipes that are great for babies including these baby-friendly pancakes and these no-sugar added oatmeal bars!

If you need more ideas beyond breakfast, check out everything I recommend for babies 4-6 months old! Starting solids is a journey for you and baby. As you both get more comfortable, I hope you start to enjoy the rhythm of cooking and eating together. Laying the foundation for our kids to have a healthy relationship to food starts with us- a huge privilege and responsibility! You’re doing great work!